Hugh Eastwood was born at Lancaster Gate, London on 25 Jan 1863. He was the son of barrister, Thomas Smith Badger Eastwood JP and Rosalie Julia Champion de Crespigny. He received his training with the 1st Royal Lanarkshire Militia and at first joined the Scots Greys as a lieutenant on 19 Aug 1885 then transferred to the KDG in 1886. He served in India in 1887 to 1888 and was Assistant Adjutant, Cavalry Depot, Canterbury from 1889 to 1891. He was promoted to captain 14 June 1894 and served with distinction in the Boer War. He was mentioned in the diary of 2nd Lt W T V Wayte Wood on 27 Nov 1901 in which Captain Eastwood was ‘wounded in shoulder and arm, and three others in B Squadron’. He was awarded the DSO and mentioned in despatches. Franz Josef decorated him with the Order of the Iron Crown, 3rd Class. He was promoted to major on 20 June 1903. He retired on 26 Feb 1908 but recalled to active duty and promoted to lieutenant-colonel in 1915. He was appointed Commandant of the Army Cyclist Training Centre. Promoted to Colonel in 1916.
Hugh was married to Ellinor Smyth on 25 Jan 1887. They had five children, born between 1888 and 1903; three sons, Hugh, Thomas and Ronald, and two daughters, Rosalie and Violet. Colonel Eastwood died in Basingstoke on 18 Feb 1934. The photo is a detail from a group of officers of the King’s Dragoon Guards taken at Norwich in 1894. He has a single star badge on each shoulder strap of his undress blue frock tunic denoting the rank of lieutenant at that time.
